The present invention relates to hitch systems and more particularly relates to drop hitch systems for use with log skidders.
Log skidders are equipped with a length of cable wrapped on a powered winch and trained over a roller mounted in an arch at the rear of the skidder. It is a known practice to provide such skidders with a drop hitch system which permits the cable to be used for towing implements behind the skidder. Such drop hitches include a drop hitch frame fixed to the rear end of the skidder at a location below the arch. The drop hitch frame serves to support a horizontal roller beneath which the cable is trained whereby a low line of action is established when the cable is connected to an implement for towing the same. Normally the cable is wound in to the point where a clevis connecting the cable to the implement is snubbed tightly against the drop hitch frame. Upon the skidder encountering terrain offering poor traction, the load may be "dropped" by releasing the winch drum brake to permit the cable to unwind while the vehicle is moved to a location offering better traction whereupon the winch drum is powered to wind in the cable and again bring the implement up adjacent to the drop hitch frame.
These prior art drop hitch systems have been found to suffer from one or more of the faults of their drop hitch frames including sharp edges which sever the cable, of having their cable guide rollers installed in the hitch frame such as to be vulnerable to being damaged by engagement with the towed implement hitch connection when the cable is winched in and of their hitch connections being designed such they do not engage the drop hitch frame in a properly aligned or centered manner when the cable is winched in.